Jet-setters charged with identity theft

[Ban Hammer 12,840]

PHILADELPHIA - They were young, rich and in love. But the jet-setters financed their fun on the credit cards of unsuspecting neighbors in their high-end apartment building and other identity-fraud victims, police said Monday.

Jocelyn Kirsch, 22, and Edward K. Anderton, 25, were charged Friday with identity theft, forgery, unlawful use of a computer and a laundry list of other counts.

Their fraud scheme, estimated at $100,000 this year alone, paid for jaunts to Paris, London and Hawaii and other luxury perks, including Kirsch's stop at a tony salon for $1,700 worth of hair extensions, police said.

"They were two young people that were given many gifts in life," said Detective Terry Sweeney, who spoke of the couple's supportive families and private schooling. "And the very best thing they could do was victimize other people."

It was not immediately clear if the couple had hired attorneys. Neither has a listed telephone number in Philadelphia.

Police started investigating Nov. 19 after one of the couple's neighbors reported that she thought her identity had been stolen. A day later, the woman heard from a local UPS store about a waiting package, although she had not ordered anything.

Police kept an eye on the store and arrested Anderton and Kirsch on Friday when they walked in to pick up the package, detectives said.

A weekend search of the couple's $3,000-a-month apartment turned up a cache of tech toys: four computers, two printers, a scanner and an industrial machine that makes ID cards. Police also found $17,500 in cash, dozens of credit cards and fake drivers' licenses, and keys to unlock many of the apartments and mailboxes in their upscale Rittenhouse Square apartment building. Police are not yet sure how they got the keys.

"They were like a parasite that infected that building," Sweeney said.

The search also turned up a book titled, "The Art of Cheating: A Nasty Little Book for Tricky Little Schemers and Their Hapless Victims," as well as a newspaper article on "How to Spot Fake IDs."

Police believe the scheme dates back at least two years and involves victims beyond the apartment house. A slideshow found on one of their computers shows the couple's high-flying travels: kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower, sporting matching red swim wear at a ritzy oceanfront resort; and dining at an elegant restaurant.

Anderton was recently fired from a job as a financial analyst that had paid for at least his initial stay in the apartment, Lt. George Ondrejka said. Kirsch is a student at Drexel University.

Sweeney fears that police are not finished finding victims. So far, they know of five victims, one of whom was taken for $30,000.

Kirsch's father arrived from Winston-Salem, N.C., to post her $25,000 bond Sunday. Anderton, who hails from Washington state, posted bond Monday, police said.

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[Nessa 23]

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

wow. glad they caught them.

[Fandango 1,439]

That's so scary!

This Tues, I was talking to a colleague when she got a call from her Discover card because there was some strange activity on it. Apparently, someone ordered a Dell desktop and a bunch of other stuff on it. She's not being held responsible for it, but it brought about a whole conversation where we all wondered how ppl can be so blatant about it, when the items are being shipped to an address. Surely, it's totally traceable and they're gonna get caught? How in the world do ppl manage to do this sort of stuff?

[Ban Hammer 12,840]

That's so scary!

This Tues, I was talking to a colleague when she got a call from her Discover card because there was some strange activity on it. Apparently, someone ordered a Dell desktop and a bunch of other stuff on it. She's not being held responsible for it, but it brought about a whole conversation where we all wondered how ppl can be so blatant about it, when the items are being shipped to an address. Surely, it's totally traceable and they're gonna get caught? How in the world do ppl manage to do this sort of stuff?

i dunno, i've had something not quite as expensive happen to me - and i caught it before it was shipped out. i notified the retailer and they asked my mailing address, it was apparently not the one the order was going to. seems kinda ballsy to order something on someone else's card and have it sent to your home....maybe they hope that it's a joint account and no one will question the order or if they do see it, they'll think it's a gift the other one bought?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

This Tues, I was talking to a colleague when she got a call from her Discover card because there was some strange activity on it. Apparently, someone ordered a Dell desktop and a bunch of other stuff on it. She's not being held responsible for it, but it brought about a whole conversation where we all wondered how ppl can be so blatant about it, when the items are being shipped to an address. Surely, it's totally traceable and they're gonna get caught? How in the world do ppl manage to do this sort of stuff?

I closed a credit card account a few years ago when someone tried to charg home entertainment equipment on it. BofA caught the unusual charge (I hadn't used that card in ages) and called me before actually charging the account. I told them that I did not place any such order. I asked them to go ahead and close the account and that was the end of it. But yeah, it does get you thinking...

[Alex+R 0]

I read about this earlier in the week. There's a Facebook group for people who have crazy stories about that girl and her compulsive lying!

Anyway, it seems like people like that have awful taste. They really could have dreamed bigger. Once some people stole my credit card and used it at, for example, Kohl's and Sears to buy low quality electronics and clothing. Just sad.

[Marc and Olga 0]

I read about this earlier in the week. There's a Facebook group for people who have crazy stories about that girl and her compulsive lying!

Anyway, it seems like people like that have awful taste. They really could have dreamed bigger. Once some people stole my credit card and used it at, for example, Kohl's and Sears to buy low quality electronics and clothing. Just sad.

Yeah why not order gold of at the very least higher end stuff...(formerly) Alienware for instance!